£47m boost to unlock 28,000 homes stalled due to nutrient neutrality rules
The government has announced £47m in funding to help unlock tens of thousands of homes that have stalled due to nutrient neutrality rules.
Seven areas across England will benefit from a share of £45m to unblock stalled housing, at the same time as delivering improvements to the natural environment.
In addition, 20 of the largest sites affected by nutrient neutrality will each receive a further £100,000 to support planning teams who will implement pollution solutions across the local area.
The funding will be delivered through the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund.
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Matthew Pennycook, housing and planning minister, said: “We must build more homes across the country and unlock growth, but this must not come at the expense of our natural environment.
“Through this fund and alongside major reforms to the planning system, we will accelerate housebuilding and deliver nature recovery, creating a win-win outcome for both the economy and for nature.”
A total of 74 planning authorities across England have paused housebuilding since May 2022 because of high levels of nitrates and phosphates in wetland areas, which are killing the invertebrates eaten by protected birds.
The rules were originally introduced under an EU directive on habitats and reinforced by a 2018 ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, but were expanded by Natural England to cover more areas in 2022.
The government pointed out that it was taking additional action alongside the funding to clean England’s rivers, lakes and seas. These included new powers to ban the payment of bonuses for bosses of polluting water companies and bring criminal charges against persistent law breakers.
Mary Creagh, environment minister, said: “Britain faces a housing and nature crisis. This new government was elected with a mandate to get Britain building again and restore nature. That is why we will deliver a planning system that unlocks the building of homes and improves outcomes for nature.”
Earlier this year, the chair of Natural England welcomed the Labour government’s approach to changing nutrient neutrality rules.
The seven areas to benefit from the funding are:
• Norfolk Broads and the River Wensum: £8.8m to unlock over 6,000 new homes
• River Axe: £4m to unlock around 1,000 new homes
• The Solent: nearly £7m to unlock over 2,700 new homes
• River Wye: over £2.7m to unlock over 3,000 new homes
• River Mease: over £2.5m to unlock over 700 new homes
• River Lambourn: over £2.4m to unlock over 800 new homes
• River Eden, River Derwent and Bassenthwaite Lake, River Kent and Esthwaite Water catchment: over £15m to unlock over 13,000 new homes.
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